USAID pumps in $2.2m to boost Malawi’s health sector

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated medical equipment and supplies worth $ 2.2 million to boost health service delivery in the Malawi’s fifteen districts.

USAID director of health programs in Malawi, Mirriam Luts told Nyasa Times after handing over the donation on Wednesday that this is under a five year Support for service delivery integration (SSDI) project, which aims at supporting government of Malawi to achieve its vision of improving health status of its citizens.

“The donation targets 15 districts where there is SSDI project and is expected to benefit 25 hospitals and 96 health centres in the first phase,” said Luts.

She added that USAID will next year add 1 million US dollars for procurement of additional equipment to increase coverage of the facilities where SSDI is being implemented.

Deputy Minister of health Agness Mandevu- Chatipwa commended USAID

Deputy Minister of health Agness Mandevu- Chatipwa commended USAID and said the donation is timely.

“This donation is in line with our health sector strategic plan, whose major thrust is to improve access to quality high impact essential health interventions,” said Chatipwa.

She added that this will therefore go a long way towards achieving this noble goal.

The deputy minister then asked the health personnel to use the equipment properly and safeguard it to ensure maximum benefit by the communities.